Ezekiel 3:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

We do not send you to those who are wise and articulate... but to individuals who may not grasp what they say. Imagine God speaking, I have sent you only to the children of your own people, whose language you understand. Yet, had I dispatched you to one of the nations outside your own, like Jonah, they would have received your message.

You have not been sent to a people with unclear or minor language and with a complex tongue, but rather to the house of Israel, and not to multiple nations with an unintelligible language, which you could hardly comprehend. If I had directed you toward them, they would have received your message. As they will not approach you, you shall go to them instead. For it is not the healthy who require the care of a physician, but those who are in need (Luke 5:31). You cannot assert that communication is impossible due to the divergence of languages, as we too might be seen as unrefined in our understanding of one another’s speech. What can I say about a singular nation? Had I sent you to various peoples, My will and power would have navigated every challenge.

The contrast between the efforts of the apostles and the prophets is vividly illustrated here. One group was given the responsibility for a single nation, their homeland, where they shared a common language, while the others, as instructed by the Lord, were assigned to reach all nations and the entire world. It is written, “Come, teach all tongues” (Matthew 28:19), which encompass numerous and varied dialects, differing moral standards, and conflicting laws. Those tasked with multiple nations, distinct languages, and a wide range of moral codes have managed to bring correction to the world. In contrast, those responsible for this unbridled populace have toiled extensively but have not seen outcomes commensurate with their efforts.